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Mass media in Ghana

From Justapedia - Reading time: 11 min

The 2nd President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor speaks with the press.

The mass media in Ghana, includes television, radio, internet publishing and newspapers.

History[edit | edit source]

19th century[edit | edit source]

Colonial Governor Sir Arnold Hodson introduced the first radio channel, named Radio ZOY, on 31 July 1935, before it was renamed to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation upon the country's independence in 1957. Its main use was to spread propaganda to gain support of the colonies[1]

Post-independence[edit | edit source]

Transfer of the media had changed hands from a civilian to a military government, and a series of arrests and imprisonment of political opponents by Nkrumah had a chilling effect on the media.[2] After Nkrumah's overthrow in a coup, state outlets changed hands, while still under the control of the ruling party. The National Liberation Council (NLC) imposed stricter controls on domestic private outlets; for example, the Rumours Decree in 1966 that prevented anyone from suing government-owned newspapers.[2]

In 1969, the democratically elected civilian government of Kofi Busia that followed NLC were left with a number of media outlets under state control. Busia repealed acts and dismissed the owner of the state-owned Daily Graphic for opposing Busia, who had appealed for African dialogue with the apartheid government in South Africa.[2] When Ignatius Kutu Acheampong overthrew the Busia government, he reinstated "strict" media control and clamped down on opposition outlets by cutting off foreign exchange.[2] A number of opposition media remained unimpeded during the Acheampong regime, and by 1978 had grown in their calls for a multi-party democracy in Ghana.[2]

The regime of Acheampong was overthrown in May 1978 by General Akuffo, who reversed some of his predecessors media policies and released jailed journalists and opposition members. This led to the establishment of two party papers: the Star of the Popular Front Party (PFP) and the Gong Gong of the People's National Party (PNP). The Akuffo regime ended in another coup d'état by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) headed by Jerry Rawlings, who repealed the press laws that were passed by Acheampong. Rawlings replaced the chief editor of the Daily Graphic who criticised AFRC executions,[2] though they had no authority to do so as it undermined the Constitution of the Third Republic, which stated they had to be replaced by the Press Commission.[3] After eight months of AFRC regime, which had promised media reform and in the end did not materialise, power was returned to democratically elected PNP with Hilla Limann on 24 September 1979. Limann was an advocate of liberal media reform, establishing a 12-member Press Commission on 25 July 1980.[2] In a speech Limann said:

I shall, as elected President of Ghana, be forever prepared to submit to the acid test of public judgement the claims of those who may think that they represent the public more than me or any other political leader. Bluff, snobbery and arrogance on all sides must now cease, so that the Press Commission can function in a way that it has been envisaged by those who have never had any personal axe to grind. I have long been one of the protagonists myself. Since the functions of the Press Commission have clearly been spelt out in the Constitution, I can do no more than reassure its members and our journalists that my government will respect, uphold and defend the Constitution and thus do everything in our power to help the Press Commission discharge its obligation, in the overall interest of the public to which we are all to varying degrees accountable.[4]

The Press Commission, as enshrined in law, were to investigate complaints about the press, uphold press freedom and provide necessary regulation and licensing to media outlets.[2] During Limann's rule, Limann respected the new Constitution and accepted criticism from the media. John Rawlings, citing "corruption and maladministration", seized power under the Provisional National Defence Council on 31 December 1981, and repealed the liberal media reforms instigated by Limann.[5] Under the new government, the Third Constitution, along with the Press Commission, was abolished. Through the state-owned Daily Graphic on 5 January 1982, Rawlings told the press to lead the "Holy War" and direct the revolution.[6] Rawlings passed laws that prevented criticism of the government or its policies, dismissed editors critical of Rawlings and passed laws such as the Preventive Custody Law and Newspaper Licensing Law which allowed indefinite detention without trial of journalists, and stifled private media development respectively.[2] PNDC Secretary of Information Joyce Aryee in 1983 defended direct government control:

I don't see the press as lying outside the political institutions that we already have. This is where I feel people ought to realise that the press differs from country to country. In a situation like ours, where we need to conscientize people, and where we have an illiteracy problem, you use institutions like the press to do the conscientization.[7]

The policies affected print media and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, with dismissals or premature retirement.[2]

1992-2000[edit | edit source]

The state media maintained a favourable image of Rawlings. Rawlings acknowledged the years of media repression, and defended the military coup:

All that has happened during the last decade cannot be divorced from today's constitutional order. No one can fail to appreciate the significance of the 31st December Revolution in bringing Ghanaians to the threshold of the Fourth Republic, and in establishing firm principles of social justice which will make the constitution a living reality - to do so would mean distorting Ghana's history and putting aside those vital lessons which would indeed enrich this phase of Ghanaian experience.[8]

Rawlings had pledged to uphold Chapter 12 of the Constitution of Ghana, promoting press freedom, responsibility of both private and state outlets and these freedoms to be additional to human rights.[9] 1 government official claimed the private media "tested the limits of the government", while others accused it of portraying Parliament as inferior.[2] A group named Friends of Democracy claimed it had 1,000 signatories protesting against the private media.[10] Editors from the Free Press and New Statesman had reported being sent death threats from NDC for criticising the regime.[2] Valerie Sackey who was an assistant to President Rawlings, noted that the private press had a duty to provide legitimate criticism of the government and to act responsibly, rather than simply portraying that the government was attempting to muzzle them.[2]

2000-[edit | edit source]

The Ghanaian media has been described as "one of the most unfettered" in Africa, operating with little restriction on private media. The private press carries criticism of government policy.[11] The media, and broadcast media in particular, were "vigorous" in their coverage of the 2008 Ghanaian presidential election, and the Ghanaian Journalists Association (GJA) praised John Atta Mills on his election, hoping to foster a good media-government relationship.[12] During a 1999 interview, GJA described how the media has helped promote democracy in the country:

The press has forced the Government to accept that officials are accountable....It is for me a positive indication that the media of Ghana have made some impact on democracy since the foundation of the 4th Republic

— Seyd, C., 4 June 1999.[13]

Due to the freedom of media, the video game industry in Ghana is growing.[14]

Challenges[edit | edit source]

Journalists in Ghana are "often poorly paid, under resourced, and often lack training". As a result, journalists in Ghana find themselves susceptible to bribery and self-censorship.[15]

While the constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press, the government sometimes restricts those rights. The police arbitrarily arrest and detain journalists.[16] Some journalists practice self-censorship. The constitution prohibits arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and the government respects these prohibitions in practice.[17]

In 2002 the government of Ghana censored Internet media coverage of tribal violence in Northern Ghana.[18]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Newspaper Circulation
(Copies)[19]
Daily Graphic 100000
Ghanaian Times 80000
Chronicle 45000
Daily Guide 22000
Daily Democrat 5000
Daily Dispatch 5000
New Crusading Guide 5000
Daily Post 5000
Daily Searchlight 1500
Main article: List of newspapers in Ghana

Around 135 newspapers are published, including 16 independent newspapers and 9 daily newspapers.[20] The contribution of a number of state and private newspapers create a media environment. State papers such as the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times tend to promote and encourage support for government policies and follow a conservative line, unlike private press which has exposed "lavish" styles of government officials and "mis-management" of government affairs.[21]

The National Media Commission, an independent commission, was set up to monitor and receive complaints about the media.[22] The commission had received 50 complaints in 2002, and in May 2001, forced the Ghanaian Chronicle to apologise for publishing "false stories" on individuals without substantial evidence.[22]

Television and radio[edit | edit source]

Mass media, news and information provided by television.
See also: List of radio stations in Ghana and List of TV stations in Ghana
Radio studio

Television was introduced in 1965 and was under State control. The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation held a monopoly on television broadcasting until 1994, following the 1992 constitution of the elected government. Part of the 1992 constitution established the National Media Commission which held the responsibility to promote and ensure the independence of the media.[1]

After the 1966 coup of Nkrumah by the National Liberation Council, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation announced a decree to, "broadcast programmes in the field of culture, education, information and entertainment, to reflect national progress and aspirations, and to broadcast in the main Ghanaian languages and in English".[1]

There were 7 broadcast stations in 2007.[23] Among the stations, there is the state-run Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and 4 private channels, TV3, Metro TV, Viasat 1, TV Skyy, and TV Africa, with TV3 and Metro TV going on the air in 1997.[5][1]

FM radio began in 1988,[24] which allowed foreign radio stations into the country, such as Voice of America, Radio France Internationale and BBC broadcasts on 101.3FM.[11] A public demonstration in 1995 over seizure of equipment from a private station, Radio EYE, forced the government to issue FM frequencies for other private stations, creating a new era of "broadcast pluralism".[24] Interactive phone-in discussions on local and national issues are very popular on Ghanaian radio.[11][24] In addition to English-language stations, there are some in local dialect.[25] In 2007, 86 FM and 3 shortwave stations existed.[23]

Internet[edit | edit source]

Main articles: Internet in Ghana, New Media in Ghana, and Internet censorship and surveillance in Ghana

The Internet was used by an estimated 4.2 million Ghanaians in 2012, roughly 17% of the population. In 2014 as reported by Internet World Statistics there were "5,171,993 Internet users on Dec 31, 2014, 19.6% of the population, per IWS." [1]

[26][27] It is unrestricted by the government.[17]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ^ a b c d Buckley, Steve. "Ghana Broadcasting Study" (PDF). Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Anokwa, K. (1997). In Press Freedom and Communication in Africa. Erbio, F., and W. Jong-Ebot (eds), Africa World Press. ISBN 978-0-86543-551-3.
  3. ^ Africa Contemporary Record. Volume 12, 1979-1980. London: Africana Publishing Company.
  4. ^ Democracy and Ghana: Selected Speeches of President Hilla Limann. London: Rex Collings, 1983.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference pr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Daily Graphic, 5 January 1982.
  7. ^ Africa Contemporary Record. Volume 16, 1983-1984. London: Africana Publishing Company.
  8. ^ West Africa, 18–24 January 1993: 52.
  9. ^ Constitution of Ghana, Government of Ghana.
  10. ^ West Africa. 21–27 June 1994: 550.
  11. ^ a b c BBC Country Profile: Ghana, BBC News.
  12. ^ GJA congratulates President Atta Mills Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Joy fm, 11 January 2009.
  13. ^ Seyd, C. (2002). Die Zivilgesellschaft in Ghana: Organisations-, Gestaltungs- und Politikfähigkeit ausgewählter ziviler Akteure(1957-1999). GIGA-Hamburg, pp. 226. ISBN 978-3-928049-81-8.
  14. ^ Halegoua, Germaine R.; Aslinger, Ben (17 March 2016). Locating Emerging Media. Routledge. ISBN 9781136683039.
  15. ^ Amdi Ghana. 1 December 2006.
  16. ^ "Ghana". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Ghana", Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 25 March 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  18. ^ "Ghana Internet Censorship 2008". NIBII. 15 December 2008.
  19. ^ Kuehnhenrich, Daniel (2012). Entwicklung oder Profit? Die staatliche und private Presse in Ghana. ibidem. ISBN 978-3-8382-0304-1 (online)
  20. ^ Freedom House 2007 report on Ghana
  21. ^ Hasty, J. (2005). The Press and Political Culture in Ghana. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34524-0.
  22. ^ a b Blankson, I. A., and P. D. Murphy (2007). Negotiating Democracy: Media Transformations in Emerging Democracies. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-7233-0.
  23. ^ a b CIA World Factbook - Ghana, CIA.
  24. ^ a b c Fuller, L. K. (2004), National Days/National Ways: Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations Around the World, Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-97270-7.
  25. ^ Ray, D. (1986), Ghana: Politics, Economics and Society, Lynne Reinner Publishers.
  26. ^ Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012", Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013.
  27. ^ "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012", International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013.

Bibliography[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]


de:Ghana#Medien

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